Method and apparatus for making frozen confections



l Patented -May 13, 1930 FRANK C. FERNANDEZ, OF TUCSON, ARIZONA.

METHOD AND APARATUS FOD. MAKING FROZEN CONFECTIONS Application ledAugust-12, 1927. 'Seria1No.-212,511.'

This invention relates to method and 'apn paratus formaking ,frozenconfections of that type wherein an edible substance or commodity is.frozen or eongealed and mounted or arranged upon a stick, edible orotherwise,

from which the confection may be eaten.

In processes heretofore employed, it has been proposed to freeze theedible substance with tlfe stick or holder partly immersed therein, sothat after the freezing operation is' complete, the commodity mayberemoved with the handle firmly embedded therein. There have arisenobjections to this process.l and I have found that the commodity may beproduced more economically, with greater facility, and in a moresanitary manner by first freezing the commodity, in the mannerhereinafter specified, and subsequently applying thereto the handle orstick from which the frozen confection may be eaten.

My improved process is carried out in the ,manner hereinafterparticularly detailed and more properly with the specific apparatus towhich. reference will be made.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View.

of a freezing tray or pan preferably used in carrying out the processforming a part of my invention. I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thetray. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailedsectional view on; a slightly enlarged scale taken through a part of thetray. i

Fig. 4 is a side elevat1on illustrating general appearance of thecommo'dity'pm duced by my' improved method,'and

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of an elevating stirrup used' incarrying out the invention.

In accordance` 'with my process,the mold for ythe frozen confectionincludes a 'tray 6, formed of thin sheet metal and yof a size and shapeto be applicable to the type or styleof refrigerating apparatus withwhich it is to be used. In the present instance, this tray is shaped toform a segment of a circleso as to e applicable to a cylindrical type ofrefrigerating machine. This tray has upstanding side and eind Walls7from the upper edges of` whichl are outwardly projecting flanges 8 tbrest upon a part of the refrigerat ing apparatus to maintain the bottompart of the pan submerged in the brine or other refrigerating medium.HThe bottom of the tray is provided with molds indicated generally at 9,which comprise depressed por# tions in the tray bottom of the size andshape it is desiredv that the commodit shall be made.

,In order that the frozen con ections may be removed from the molds withfacility and with least likelihood of breakin the same, thesemolds havetheir side an end walls converging downwardly as indicated,l and thebottoms 10 of the molds are fiat and conneet-the side and endwalls. Themold so eral shape and character represented at 1 1 in Fig. 4, and it isapparent that the size may be varied according to requirements. Whilethe mold herein shown and vdescribed cons stitutes the preferred form,it is apparent that 'its shape may be changed if desired. For

places to permit of its ready manipulation. The cover plate is providedwith a series of depressed spurs 14 of comparatively shallow `depth, andpositioned upon the cover plate in shaped will produce a confection ofthe gensuch manner that when the latter is placed ,within the tray, eachspur will project down centrally within its respective mold depend-S ingfrom the bottom of the tray. These spurs are of substantiallywedge-shape with ltheir apices lowermost.

In practice, the tray with its various molds illed to a proper heightwith the commodity to be frozen is set down into the refrigeratingapparatus, whereupon the cover plate .12 is applied in the manner shownin Fig. 1.

Therefrigerating process then proceeds, and when completed the coverplate is lifted from the tray. This leaves the frozen confections withintheir respective molds, each with a wedgesshaped recess in its upperend. Hand1es15 may then be inserted in these wedgeshaped openings, beingthus assured of proper centering, and it is preferred that one end ofthe handle or stick be cut to practically wedge-shape to properly fitwithin the recess in the confection. These handles. may be moistened asdesired just prior to their application to the confection, andrefrigeration then proceeds until such time as the handles becomethoroughly frozen or set i within their respective confections. Thecommodities 'may then be removed either by withdrawing them by means oftheir handles, or the mold portions of thetray may be yimmersed in watermomentarily to produce a slight thawing, whereupon the vcommodities maybe readily withdrawn .from their molds. By shaping the molds with adownward taper as shown and described, there is no tendency toward thecreation of a partiall vacuum beneath the commodity in the operation ofremoval, so that this operation is greatly facilitated. Thisadvantageous eifect is likewise Aaccompanied where the molds are ofsubstantially frusto-conical shape, as above referred to.

As an expedient in further facilitating removal of the frozenconfections from their molds, use may be made of an elevator or lifterof the general arrangement shown in rthe drawing. This lifter comprisesa stirrup formed of thin sheet metal and. shaped so as to straddle theintervening metal between a pair of molds. The stirrup thereforecomprises legs 16 of a length and breadth substantially e ual to thedepth and breadth of a mold and `iaving outturned flanges or feet 17 attheir lower ends corresponding substantially to the shape and size ofthe mold vbottoms 10. The bight portion 18 of the stirrup has attachedthereto a bail 19 capable of being raised or lowered and toenable thcstirrup to be grasped and handled. These A stirrups are applied ypriorto the introduction -of the liquid mold contents, whereupon the bails 19'are turned down so as not to interfere with the proper application ofthe cover plate 12. After the freezing process the bails 19 are graspedand lifting action is applied, which results in the frozen confectionsbeing bodily lifted from the molds without danger Awhatever of crackingor breaking the same.

From the foregoing description, it is ap; parent that I have provided a-process for the production of frozen confections of the sucker oflollypop type which greatly facilitates productionand dispensing inlarge quantities with a minimum vof eort and with s small likelihood ofdamage to or distortion of the commodities when being removed from theirmolds or in the handle applying operations. It will be understood,however, that notwithstanding vthe specific mechanism herein referredto, the process may be carried forth with equal vfacility by othermechanical devices.

Having thus described my invention, vI

claim:

1. The process of making frozen confections which consists of subjectingliquid to intense refrigeration and at the same time forming a cavitytherein, and subsequently applying to such cavity and freezing thereinthe end of a stick.

2. In an apparatus for making frozen confections, -a tray, al pair ofmolds carried by and depending from said tray, a stirrup comprising abight portion and legs, said legs lextending one into each of said moldswith rality of hollow molds depending therefrom, 9

astirrup for each pair of molds, a bail on each stirrup extending abovethe upper surface of said tray, a plate in said tray resting upon saidbail, and hollow spurs depending from said plate and extending into saidmolds.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRANK C. FERNANDEZ.

